Fifty-four percent of American adults say they believe a
housing recovery won’t occur for another three years, or possibly even later,
according to an annual survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults by Trulia and
RealtyTrac, which evaluated attitudes toward home ownership and foreclosures.

In a November 2010 survey, Americans were
a little more optimistic that a recovery would happen sooner. About 42 percent
said they thought the market would turn around by 2012 or had already turned
around. Yet, in the most recent survey in April, that has now dropped to 23
percent who see a recovery in sight by 2012, and a majority who see a recovery
further down the road.

“Most Americans,
as our latest survey revealed, overestimated how quickly the housing market
would bounce back, but when it does, it will likely be a long and gradual
process,” says Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia. “Looking at the recent double dips in
home prices, I expect the rest of 2011 to be volatile for real estate. On the
flip side, mortgage rates won’t stay low forever and even if home prices
continue to fall for a bit, now is still a good time to enter the housing
market.”

Indeed, according to Trulia’s
latest data, owning a home is more affordable than renting in 78 percent of the
major U.S. cities.

The public is eyeing
deals in the real estate market, too. In the survey, about 56 percent of renters
and 47 percent of current home owners say they are at least somewhat likely to
purchase a foreclosed home. Many of those surveyed say that they expect to pay
38 percent less for a foreclosure property than for if they would buy similar
home not in foreclosure.